Feed mechanism for fruit pitting machine



Sept. 15, 1964 R. W. DRAKE ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR FRUIT FITTING MACHINEOriginal Filed Oct. 22. 1957 T'II3 1 lav/64w 8 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORSROBERT W. DRAKE SHERMAN H. CREEO ATTORNEY Sept. 15, 1964 R. w. DRAKEETAL 3,148,719

FEED MECHANISM FOR FRUIT FITTING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 22, 1957 8Sheets-Sheet 2 D SE v mm TDC. N@ m N .H m JMN WWN m 1 A i NN mwm A w:55; g m 04%QQO \h: mo. 0 mm m: m: mm 0 Nm ill Om. oN Mmm: N UNQOQ 02 Mm: m: ON O m: 0: OS F: N F mw OF O: N@ no. MM 0 o s. m 3 w o JNN mm QR.W mm. I|.I\|\I\ F\\\VIIIL N MH-EHHI av m T W Sept. 15, 1964 R. w. DRAKEETAL 3,148,719

FEED MECHANISM FOR FRUIT PITTINGMACHINE Original Filed 0012. 22, 1957 8Sheets-Sheet 3 LHIE E. F

TIE. 4I:

ATTORNEY Sept. 15, 1964 R. w. DRAKE ETAL 3,148,719

FEED MECHANISM FOR FRUIT FITTING MACHINE Original Filed 001;. 22, 19s? aSheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ROBERT W. DRAKE SNERNAN H. GREED BY W ATTORNEYSept. 15, 1964 R. w. DRAKE ETAL 3,143,719

FEED MECHANISM FOR FRUIT FITTING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 22, 1957 8Sheets-Sheet 5 Q LU? m H" a N\ 9 88 51 (I E. mvsu'rons F ROBERT W. DRAKEsnermm a cacao ATTORN EY Sept. 15, 1964 R. W. DRAKE ETAL FEED MECHANISMFOR FRUIT FITTING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 22, 1957 F'I I3 I 2 m m:33 d H N N NE Ri fifii PM )V /77 ML m \C/ x Q \Jz's P Q N NE 4 III]! mlmo 6) 0000008 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS ROBERT W. DRAKE SHERMAN H.OREED ATTORN EY Sept. 15, 1964 R. w. DRAKE ETAL 3,143,719

FEED MECHANISM FOR FRUIT FITTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original FiledOct. 22. 1957 INVENTORS ROBERT W. DRAKE SHERMAN H. CREED ATTORNEY Sept.15, 1964 R. w. DRAKE ETAL 3,148,719

FEED MECHANISM FOR FRUIT FITTING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 22, 1957' 8Sheets-Sheet 8 INVINTORS ROBERT W. DRAKE SHERMAN H. OREEO ATTORNIYUnited States Patent 3,148,719 FEED MECHANISM FOR FRUIT PITTING MACIWERobert W. Drake and Sherman H. Creed, San Jose, Calif.,

assignors to FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation ofDelaware Original application Oct. 22, 1957, Ser. No. 691,620, nowPatent No. 3,035,620, dated May 22, 1962. Divided and this applicationSept. 1, 1961, Ser. No. 135,599

9 Claims. (Cl. 14651) This application is a division of the applicationof Drake et a1. Serial No. 691,620 filed October 22, 1957, now US.Patent No. 3,035,620.

This invention pertains to the preparation of fruit and moreparticularly relates to an improved apparatus for feeding fruit to afruit preparation machine.

In one method of pitting peaches, each peach is bisected by a pair ofcooperating blades having opposed serrated edges which penetrate thepeach and grip the pit. While the pit is held in fixed position,twisting heads engage the peach halves and twist the halves in oppositedirections to free them from the pit. The present invention concerns amechanism for feeding fruit to the cooperating pit-gripping blades whilethey are disposed in spaced relation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved fruitfeeding mechanism.

Another object is to provide a novel feed mechanism for feeding peachesto the peach cutting and pit gripping blades of a peach pitting machine.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section, with parts broken away, taken centrallythrough a peach pitting machine incorporating the feed mechanism of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 22 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 3-3 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 4-4of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a reduced vertical section taken on line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic showing of the drive and control mechanismshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken with parts in elevation takensubstantially on line 77 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken on lines 88 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a horizontal section taken on lines 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a vertical section taken on lines 10-10 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a vertical section taken on line 1111 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged elevation of one of the twisting heads used inthe machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken centrally through thehead of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section taken on lines 14-14of FIG. 4.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary section taken on line 16-16 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of FIG.16.

FIG. 18 is a reduced vertical section taken on line 18-48 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 19 is a schematic view of the feed mechanism used in the presentmachine.

The pitting machine of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1,2 and 4 as comprising a rigid base 20 having four posts 22 projectingupwardly from the upper surface of the base. Each post 22 has a flangeplate 23 (FIG. 2) at its lower end which is bolted to the base 20. Theupper end of each post is also provided with a flange plate (not shown)that is bolted to the lower wall of a rigid box-like housing 25 (FIGS. 1and 4) which has four upstanding side Walls 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d thatform a liquid-tight enclosure. When the machine is in operation, themoving parts of the machine that are disposed in the liquid-tightenclosure, are liberally deluged with lubricating oil, which is storedin the enclosure, by means of a pump 26 that is mounted in theenclosure.

Power for driving the machine is obtained from an electric motor 30(FIGS. 4 and 6) Which is mounted exteriorly of the housing, in anysuitable manner, and is arranged to rotate a drive shaft 31 through abelt and pulley drive 32. As seen in FIG. 4, the drive shaft 31 passesthrough the opposite walls 25b and 25d of the housing and is journalledin a bearing assembly 33 secured to each wall. Keyed on the drive shaft31 are a pump drive sprocket 36 (FIG. 6), a face cam 37, a drive member38a of a Ferguson drive mechanism 38, a second face cam 40, a secondsprocket 41, and a cylindrical cam 42 to which is secured a disc cam 43.

The Ferguson cam or drive member 38a is arranged to actuate two drivenmembers 38b and 38c. The driven member 381) is arranged tointermittently index a vertical shaft 50, which is keyed to drivenmember 38b, through 60 degree increments of rotary movement. Thevertical shaft 50 is journalled for rotation in bearing assemblies 51(FIG. 1) disposed in a tubular support member 53 that is secured in anopening in the bottom wall of the housing 25. At its lower end thevertical shaft 50 carries a turret 60 which comprises a hub 61 and sixpit-gripping blade assemblies 62a to 62 inclusive (FIG. 2). As theturret shaft 50 is intermittently rotated, each blade assembly is movedin a counterclockwise rotary path (FIG. 2) to six successive stations,indicated by reference letters, A, B, C, D, E, and F, which are disposedat 60 degree intervals. At station A, a peach is moved onto a bladeassembly when the blades are disposed in a vertical plane and are in anopen, peach-receiving position. The next indexing movement of the turretcauses the blade assembly to be moved to station B and, during thismovement, the blades are moved to a closed position to cut into andthrough the meat of the peach all the way to the pit, which is thenfirmly gripped by the blades. Also, during this first indexing movement,the blades are rotated about a horizontal axis from the verticalposition of station A to a horizontal position.

A twisting head 70, shown in FIG. 1 and indicated in phantom lines inFIG. 2, is mounted directly above station B of the turret. While theblade assembly with the peach thereon dwells at station B, the twistinghead 70 is moved downwardly, in a manner to be explained presently, toengage and grip the half of the peach on the upper surface of thehorizontal blade assembly. When the twisting head has gripped the peach,the head is rotated about a vertical axis causing the peach half to betwisted from the stationary pit. After the peach half is free from thepit, the gripper head is caused to release the peach half and allow itto remain on the upper surface of the blade assembly.

During the next indexing movement of the turret, the blade is rotated toa vertical position at station C (FIG. 2) and, during this rotarymovement, the loose peach half is dropped onto a slanted plate which isdisposed below the path of movement of the blade assemblies. The

3. slanted plate 75, which is supported from the base 20, is disposedwithin a rigid housing 76 that also encloses the turret. The peach halfthat drops on the slanted plate 75 is directed downwardly onto a beltconveyor 78 which conveys the pitted halves to a subsequent processingstation in the cannery.

Next, the blade assembly with the pit and the remaining peach half areindexed to station D and the blade is rotated to a horizontal positionwith the remaining peach half disposed on the blade surface that isfacing upwardly. A second twisting head 80 (FIGS. 1 and 2), which ismounted above the blade assembly at station I), is moved downwardly togrip the peach half and twist it free from the pit. Then, as the bladeassembly is indexed to station E, the second half of the peach isdropped onto the conveyor 78. During the movement of the blade assemblyfrom station E to station F, the blade assembly is rotated and theblades are moved to the open position, shown in FIG. 2, at station Fcausing the pit to drop directly onto a pit conveyor 82 or to be guidedonto the conveyor by a slanted wall 81. The next indexing movement ofthe turret returns the blade assembly to the vertical open,peach-receiving position at station A.

Referring again to station B, it will be noted that, if the peach has asplit pit, the peach half on the undersurface of the blades will dropdownwardly when the upper half is twisted by the twisting head 70. Thelower peach half drops directly onto a conveyor 33 or is guided towardthe conveyor 83 by a slanted wall $4.

Accordingly, one of the features of the present machine is its abilityto make a three way separation of parts of the peach; since peach halveshaving split pits are directed to conveyor 33, properly pitted peachhalves are directed to conveyor 7%, and pits are taken away on conveyor82.

The turret 60 is connected to the turret shaft 50 by means of a key 85(FIG. 7) disposed in adjacent slots in the hub 61 and in the shaft 50.The hub er is a generally cylindrical member having six longitudinal,vertically disposed slots 87 (FIGS. 7 and 8). The slots are spacedequi-angularly around the hub 61, one slot being associated with eachblade assembly. A lever 90 is pivotally mounted in each slot 87 andcarries, at its lower end, a follower roller 1 that rides on theperipheral carnming surface of a cam 92 that is freely journalled on asleeve 93 disposed on the turret shaft 511. The free rotation of the cam92 relative to the shaft permits the cam to be held in fixed position,during rotation of the shaft, by an anchoring tie bar 95 (FIG. 2)extending between the cam 92 and a connector 536 secured to one of thesupport posts 22.

The camming surface of the cam 92, which is shown in FIG. 9, is sodesigned that each lever 90 is swung outwardly to contact a push rod 98(FIG. 7) slidably journalled in a tubular pivot shaft 99 which projectsradially outwardly from the hub 61. Each pivot shaft 99 has a slot 9%which receives the lever 90 and an inner extension 9% locked in acylindrical socket 102 of the hub 61 by a stud 103. Each blade assembly62a through 62] includes two blades 105 and 106 of the type described indetail in the pending application of Paul C. Wilbur, Serial No. 686,171,now US. Patent No. 2,954,063, which is assigned to the assignee of thepresent application. In general, each blade is a fiat elongated memberhaving a sharpened outer edge 107 and sharpened edges 108 and 109 formedin a pit gripping insert 110. A plurality of metal prongs 112 projectalong the concave edge of the insert 110 and these prongs are adapted togrip the pit of the peach. It will be understood that when the blades105 and 106 are disposed in the open position shown at the right side ofFIG. 7, a peach that is moved radially inwardly of the turret and intoengagement with the blades will be split by the cutting edges 107, 103and 109 of the blades. Then when the blades are moved toward each otherto their closed position, the pit gripping inserts 110 1 will cooperateto grip the pit and hold it in fixed position until the blades areopened again. It should be noted that, if the peach has a weak or splitpit, the contact of the closing blades will break the pit and cause thesevered peach halves to drop downawrdly onto split pit conveyor 83.

As shown in connection with blade assembly 62d in FIG. 7, each bladeassembly has a blade carier 115 provided with a generally tubular bodyportion 116 supported on bearing assemblies disposed around the tubularpivot shaft 59. The carrier 115 has two wing portions 117 and 118, eachof which has two spaced hubs 120 and 121 (FIG. 10). The two hubs 120support a shaft 123, and the two hubs 121 support a shaft 124. The lade106 is mounted on a hub 128a of an actuator arm 128 that is keyed to theshaft 124 and has an inner end portion 125]), shown in connection withblade assembly 62a in FIG. 7, that is arranged to be contacted by theassociated push rod $3. The actuator arm 12% is secured to the blade 166by three capscrews 12%. It will be evident that, when the push rod 93moves radially outwardly, it pivots the actuator arm 123 and theattached blade 1136 toward the open position of the blade assembly.Similarly the blade 105 is mounted on a hub 132a (PEG. 10) of anactuator arm 132; that is secured to the blade 1G5 and has an inner end1321; arranged to be engaged by the push rod 98. As seen in FIG. 10 theinner end portions 13% and 12311 are disposed close to each other sothat they can be actuated simultaneously by the push rod.

The blades 105 and 106 are urged toward closed position by two springs(F16. 11) that are disposed between two transverse bars 141 and 142. Arod 14-3 which projects between the bars 141 and 14-2 maintains eachspring in position between the bars. The bar 141 is disposed in a groove144 (FIG. 7) in the inner end of the blade 105, and the bar 142 isdisposed in a groove in the inner end of the blade 106. When the'bladesare pivoted to open position by the push rod 98, the springs 14-0 arecompressed and, accordingly, are ready to move the blades to closedposition when the push rod is permitted to swing inwardly.

Each blade assembly is rotated about the tubular pivot shaft 99, duringeach indexing movement of the turret as, by means of a bevel gear (FIG.7) that is freely journalled on a bearing sleeve 151 that encircles thevertical turret shaft 50. The gear 150 is in mesh with six gears 152(two only being shown in FIG. 7), one gear 152 being keyed to the bladecarrier 115 of each blade assembly by a key 153. The bevel gear 150 isheld in fixed, non-rotating position by a tie-bar 155 (FIG. 2) that issecured at one end to the upper surface of the gear 150 and, at theother end, is secured to a post 22 by a connector (not shown) that isidentical to the connector 96 which secures tie bar 95 to the post 22.Thus, as the blade assemblies are carried bodily in a circular path bythe hub 61, each blade assembly is rotated, due to the engagement of theassociated gear 152 with the fixed gear 150, about the axis of thetubular pivot shaft 5 9, which axis will be referred to as the axis ofthe blade assembly.

The twisting head 80 (FIG. 1) has a top plate to which is welded anupwardly projecting lifter tube 161. Near its upper end the lifter tube161 carries a ring 163 in which diametrically opposite pivot pins 164and 165 are secured. These pivot pins receive the arms of a yoke 167(FIG. 4) formed on one end of a lever 169 that is pivotally mounted atthe other end on a belt 170 secured to the wall 25b of the housing 25. Afollower roller 174 is pivotally mounted on the lever 1E9 intermediateits ends and is arranged to ride in the camming groove 170 (FIG. 5) ofthe previously mentioned face cam 37. It will be apparent that thecontinuously rotating drive shaft 31 periodically raises and lowers thelifter tube 161 and the head 80 attached thereto.

The twisting head 80 comprises an outer cylinder 180 (FIGS. 12 and 13)to which the cover plate 160 is secured by capscrews 181. The cylinder18% has four openings 132 (two only being shown in FIG. 13) that aredisposed at 90 degree intervals around the upper flanged end of thecylinder. A rod 183 projects through each opening 182 and each rod has athreaded upper end on which lock nuts 185 are disposed. The rod 183 isprovided at its lower end with a block 188 which has a transverseopening fitted with a bushing 189. A spring 191) is disposed around eachrod 183 between the block 188 and the upper flanged end of the cylinder.A capscrew 193 extends through the bushing 189 and through alignedopenings 194a. and 195:: (FIG. 12) in two spaced arms 194 and 195,respectively, of a pad-support lever 196 so that the lever 196 ispivotally mounted on the lower end of the associated rod 183. Eachpad-support lever 196 has a transverse, body portion 197 (FIG. 13) whichis integrally formed with the arms 194 and 195, and has an openingarranged to receive a pin 193 which is riveted to a finger 199 on whicha rubber facing 260 is molded. The facing 20-3 has a concave peachcontacting surface that has a wavy or corrugated configuration. Atorsion spring 264 is looped around a capscrew 205 threaded into thetransverse body portion 197 and has one leg 204a (FIG. 12) abutting theinner surface of arm 194 and the other leg 2114b disposed in hookedengagernent in a slot 2415 formed at the outer end of the finger 199.The torsion spring 264 rotates the associated finger about the axis ofthe pin 1% to a slightly turned position, illustrated by the centerfinger of FIG. 12, wherein one side edge of the concave facing 2% isdisposed further away from the vertical axis of the head than the other.At the beginning of a twisting operation the springs move the fingersinto gripping engagement with the surface of the peach.

The twisting head 86 also has an inner cylinder 210 (FIG. 13) which isslidably disposed in the outer cylinder 181) and has a bottom wall 211with four equally spaced flanges 211a formed thereon (two only beingshown). Each flange 2111a has an opening in which is disposed a bushing212 adapted to receive a capscrew 213, which also projects throughopenings (not shown) in the arms 194 and 195 to pivotally mount thepadsupport lever 196 on the inner cylinder. A short internally threadedtube 215 is slidably mounted in a central opening 216 in the bottom wall211. A rubber pad 220 is supported from the lower end of the tube 215 bya capscrew 217, and a rod 219 is threaded in the upper end of the tubeto project upwardly therefrom. At its upper end the rod 219 is slidablyjournalled in a bushing 221 that is disposed against a shoulder 222a ofan inner tubular twister shaft 222. A spring 225 is disposed around therod 21? between the bushing 221 and a washer 226 which lies on the upperend of the short tube 215. At its lower end the inner tubular shaft 222is secured, as by welding, to a transverse plate 228 that is bolted tofour tabs 231) (two only being shown in FIG. 13) that project inwardlyfrom the surface of the inner cylinder 210. Four compression springs 232(two only being shown) are disposed between the lower wall 211 of thecylinder 210 and the cover plate 160.

To prevent rotation of the inner cylinder 210 relative to the outercylinder 180, two capscrews 235 (FIG. 12) are threaded through tappedopenings in the wall of the outer cylinder 180 and into a key 236 thatis disposed in a slot 237 in the outer cylinder and in a slot 238 in theinner cylinder. A second pair of capscrews (not shown) are disposeddiametrically opposite the capscrews 235 to lock a similar key betweenthe inner and outer cylinders.

When the lifter tube 161 is lowered during the operation of the machine,the rubber pad 220 engages the upper surface of the peach. The slidingengagement of the short sleeve 215 in the wall 211 permits the innercylinder 210 to move downwardly causing the spring 225 to be compressedto resiliently load the pad 220. The inner cylinder is moved downwardlyuntil a lock nut 240 (FIG. 1), threaded on the upper end of the innertubular shaft 222, engages a rubber stop member 242 secured on a thrustbearing 243 on a support casting 245 which extends across a portion ofthe upper end of the housing 25. The casting 245 is bolted to the top ofthe side walls of the housing and to a central partition 246 of thehousing. Engagement of lock nut 240 with the stop member 242 stops thedownward movement of the inner cylinder 2111 (FIG. 12), and then furtherdownward movement of the outer cylinder causes the outer cylinder toslide downwardly relative to the inner cylinder. The springs 232 arecompressed and a force is transmitted through the four springs 190tending to pivot the pad-support levers 196 inwardly so that the padsengage the outer surface of the peach half. After the twistingoperation, which will be explained presently, the lifter tube 161 ismoved upwardly causing the four rods 183 to first pivot the pad-supportlevers 196 outwardly away from the peach and then, acting through thelevers 196 and capscrews 213, move the inner cylinder 210 upwardly.

The twister head is rotated, to twist the peach half off the pit, bymeans of a gear 256 (FIGS. 1 and 6) that is keyed on the inner tubulartwister shaft 222. The gear 251) is in mesh with a first idler gear 251which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 252 that has a head 252a at itslower end and is threaded at its upper end to receive a nut 253. Theshaft 252 is locked in a flanged sleeve 256 (FIG. 1) which is disposedin an opening in the support casting 2 15. A second idler gear 260,which meshes with the first idler gear 251, is supported on a shaft 261from the support casting 245 in exactly the same manner as the firstidler gear is supported. A drive gear 262 (FIGS. 1 and 6), which mesheswith gear 2611, is keyed to a vertical shaft 265 that is rotatablyjournalled in a bearing retainer sleeve 266. The sleeve 266 is bestshown in FIG. 4 wherein it will be noted that an upper circular flange266a of the sleeve is bolted to a horizontal platform 271) which isformed integral with the wall 25c and the partition 246 of the base 25.The second Ferguson driven member 38c (FIG. 6) is keyed to the lower endof the vertical shaft 265. Thus, during operation, the Ferguson driveintermittently rotates the vertical shaft 265 which in turnintermittently rotates the inner tubular shaft 222 of the twister head80 through the gears 262, 260, 251 and 2511. Referring again to FIG. 13,the inner shaft 222 rotates the inner cylinder 216, which in turn drivesthe outer cylinder through the keys 236 (FIG. 12).

The other twister head 71 is identical to the twister head 80. Also, thehead '70 is raised and lowered in an identical manner by means of alever 301 (FIGS. 4 and 14) that is pivoted from wall 25a by a bolt 301.Intermediate its length, the lever 300 carries a roller 304 that ridesin a camming groove 305 in the face cam 40 which, as previouslymentioned, is also keyed to drive shaft 31. At its free end, the lever300 carries a yoke 307 which is pivotally connected to a ring 308 keyedto an outer cylinder shaft 310 of the twister head 70. An inner tubularshaft 312 (FIG. 1) is provided with lock nuts 313 and has a gear 315keyed thereon. The outer shaft 310 and the inner shaft 312 of the head71) are identical in construction and operation to the outer shaft 161and the inner shaft 222, respectively,

of the head 80. Accordingly, a detailed description of the constructionand operation of the head 70 will not be necessary. It will be noted inFIGS. 1 and 6 that the head 70 is twisted by the drive gear 262, that iskeyed to the Ferguson drive shaft 265, through an idler gear 320. Thisidler gear 320 is supported from casting 245 on a shaft 321 in the samemanner that gears 251 and 269' are mounted the idler As shownschematically in FIG. 19,. peaches are fed to an open blade assembly atthe feed station A by means of two feed members 3512 and 351 each ofwhich has a support arm 353 arranged to be oscillated by verticalrotatable shaft 354. Each feed member is movable from a position X atwhich a fiat blade 356 mounted on the member receives a peach, to aposition Y where the peach is impaled on a fixed blade 355, which ismounted on a fixed frame member 357 (FIG. 1) in coplanar relation withthe blade assembly at feed station A and with the flat blade 356. Eachblade 356 has a recess 356a disposed between a sharpened longitudinaledge 356i) and a locating head or projection 356a. To position the peachon the feed member, the operator grasps the peach with both hands,adjusts the peach until its suture plane is vertical, and impales thepeach on the blade 356 when it is momentarily stopped at position X.When the projection 3560 has entered the stem end of the peach, theoperator imparts a downward pivoting movement to the peach, causing itto be firmly impaled on the blade with the pit abutting the projection3155c and the sharpened edge 35612. If the peach has a particularly weaksplit pit, the pit may shatter as it is brought into contact with theblade 356. In this case the peach will be cut in halves as it is moveddownwardly on the blade 356 and the halves will drop onto a slanted botom wall 353 of the enclosure 76 and be directed onto the split pitconveyor 83.

After one of the feed members has impaled a peach on the fixed blade 355at position Y, a pair of transfer cups 361) and 361 are moved inwardlyfrom opposite sides of the blade 355 to engage the peach. When the peachis engaged, the cups are moved as a unit radially inwardly of the turretto remove the peach from the fixed blade 355 and position it between theopen blades 1115 and 1% of the blade assembly that is at the feedstation A of the turret at this time.

The feed member 3513 (FIG. 2) is moved from position X to position Y byrotation of the associated shaft 354. As seen in FIG. 3, the support arm353 has a hub freely journalled on the shaft 354. A flanged hub 357 iskeyed to the shaft 354 and has a socket 353 arranged to receive a ball359 that is urged upwardly by a spring 353 mounted in a socket 364 inthe hub of support arm 353. Under normal conditions, the hub 357 willdrive the arm 353 through the ball However, if the operator wishes tostop the movement of arm 353, a holding pressure exerted on the arm willcause the ball 359 to be cammed out of the socket 358. Rotation of shaft354 is effected by a link 365 (FIG. 4) that is pivotally connectedbetween an arm 366 that is keyed to shaft 354, and an arm of a bellcrank367 which is pivotally mounted on a fixed vertical post 369. A tie rod372 is pivoted at one end to the other arm of bellcrank 367 and, at itsother end, is pivoted to a follower support arm 373 (FIG. 14) that iskeyed on a shaft 375 (FIG. 4) that is rotatably mounted in wall portionsof the housing 25. The follower support arm 373 carries a roller 377(FIG. 14) that rides in a camming groove 378 of a face cam 38!). The cam331i is keyed to a shaft 381 which, as seen in FIG. 4, is rotatablymounted at one end in a bearing assembly 383 secured to wall 25d and atthe other end in a boss 384 projecting inwardly from the wall 25a. Achain 390 is trained around a sprocket 391 keyed to shaft 381 and aroundthe sprocket 41 keyed to drive shaft 31. It will therefore be evidentthat as the drive shaft 31 rotates, it rotates the face cam 381B causingthe support arm 353 of feed member 350 to be oscillated to move the feedmember 350 between peach receiving position X to peach impaling positionY.

Similarly, the feed member 351 (FIG. 4) is moved between positions X andY by a link 4151? pivotally connected to an arm 4131 that is keyed tothe shaft 354 to which the support arm 353 of feed member 351 isconnected by a spring-loaded ball and socket drive, identical 5% to thedrive shown in FIG. 3. A cam follower support arm 402 (FIG. 15) ispivotally connected to link 4% and is keyed at its upper end to therotatable shaft 375 which also carries the follower arm 373. A roller4114 which is mounted on arm 4112 intermediate its length, is arrangedto ride in a camming groove 4115 of a face cam 4% that is keyed to theshaft 381 which is driven by chain 390. Since both of the face cams 381and 4196 are driven by shaft 381, it is evident that the feed members3519 and 351 are oscillated in timed relation. The cams 389 and 4116 areso designed that, although the feed members are actuated successively,each feed member is held in position X until the other feed member hasimpaled a peach on the fixed blade 355 and returned to its position X.

Each of the transfer cups 369 and 361, which carry the peach from thefixed blade 355 to the open blades of the blade assembly at feed stationA, is mounted on the lower end of a bar 410 (FIG. 16). At its upper endeach bar 411 is bolted to a support member 411 (FIG. 17) that comprisestwo spaced bosses 412 and 413 connected by a front strap 414 and a rearstrap 415. An arm 416 extends downwardly from boss 413 to receive theassociated bar 4111 in bolted relation. A rotatable roller 417 isconnected on the strap 414 of each support member 411. A rod 421) (FIG.1), that is fixed in two spaced brackets 421 and 422 supported from thelower wall of the housing 25, projects through the spaced bosses 412 and413 of each support member 411 to support the member 411 for pivotingmovement.

The two rollers 417 are disposed adjacent each other in the path ofdownward movement of an actuator plate 425 (FIGS. 1 and 16) carried on apivotally mounted lever 426. A cam follower roller 428 (FIG. 16) ismounted on an arm 4Z9 projecting upwardly from lever 426 through anopening in the bottom wall of the housing. This opening is sealed by aflexible membrane 427 that is bolted to the wall. The roller 428 ridesalong a camming surface 431) of the disc cam 43 which is secured to thecylindrical cam 42 that is keyed on drive shaft 31. When the rollerfollower 428 is moved downwardly by the camming surface 430, the lever426 is swung downwardly causing the actuator plate 425 to engage the tworollers 417 and swing the cups 360 and 361 outwardly away from eachother. A spring 433, which is connected between the lever 426 and thehousing 25, urges the lever 426 upwardly so that the lever isperiodically swung upwardly, under the control of the camming surface430, to move the actuator plate 425 away from the rollers 417 and permita spring 435, connected between the bars 410, to swing the cups 361) and361 into gripping engagement with a peach impaled on the fixed blade355.

The cups 3% and 361 are reciprocated toward and away from the bladeassembly at feed station A by means of the cylindrical cam 42 which isarranged to oscillate a lever 434 (FIGS. 1 and 16) that has a roller 436disposed in a camming groove 437. The lever 434 has a forked lower enddisposed around two rollers 438 and 439 rotatably mounted on a bolt .40extending through a rod 441. The rod 441, which is slidably disposed ina sleeve 445 (FIG. 1) in the wall 25d, has one end fixed in a plate 446that also carries a lower rod 447 in parallel fixed relation to rod 441.A pusher unit 450 (FIGS. 16 and 17) is fixed to the inner end of thelower rod 447, and this pusher unit comprises a pair of spaced hubs 450aand 45% connected by straps 452 to a central hub 453 which receives thelower rod 447. As seen in FIG. 17, the hub 4519b is disposed around rod42 between the spaced bosses 412 and 413 of the cup support member 411.The hub 450a is similarly disposed between the bosses of the associatedsupport member 411. Referring to FIG. 1 it will be evident that, whenthe cylindrical cam 42 is rotated, the lever 434 moves the parallel rods441 and 447 radially inwardly or outwardly of the turret to move thetransfer cups 360 and 361 toward or away from the blades of the bladeassembly at feed station A. The rods 441 and 447 and plate 446 thus actas an actuating linkage for the transfer cups.

As previously mentioned, as the blade assembly leaves station E (FIG. 2)the blades are moved to open position to permit the pit to drop onto pitconveyor 82. If the pit adheres to one of the blades, it will be forced01f the blades by a stationary ejector or scraper member 460 which ismounted above station F. The ejector member 460 is bolted to a bracket461 that has an upstanding arm 462 secured to the wall 25a by bolts 464(FIG. 4). The member 460 has a depending blade 465 which, as seen inFIG. 18, has a lower edge that is curved to permit the rotating bladeassembly to move past the ejector blade 465 in closely spaced relation.Several positions of the rotating blades are shown in phantom lines inFIG. 18. Referring again to FIG. 2, it will be seen that a pit carriedon either blade will come into contact with the depending ejector blade465 just before the blades come to rest at station F or immediately uponleaving station F. It will be evident that if, for some reason a wholepeach reaches station E without being pitted, the blade 465 will forceit off the blade and cause it to drop onto the pit conveyor 82.

To put the machine into operation, the electric motor 30 (FIG. 6) isenergized causing it to rotate the drive shaft 31. As the shaft 31 iscontinuously rotated, the twisting head lift cams 37 and 40 are rotated,as also are the Ferguson drive member 38a, the disc cam 43 whichcontrols the movement of the transfer cups 360 and 361 radially of theturret.

In summarizing the operation of the machine, the progress of a singlepeach as it is moved through the machine will be followed withparticular reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. The peach P is positioned onthe blade 356 of feed member 350 (FIG. 2) when it is momentarily heldstationary at position X. The peach is so impaled on the blade that thesuture plane of the peach is substantially in the plane of the blade andthe pit of the peach is disposed with its long axis generally horizontaland substantially in the plane of the blade. As the drive shaft 31rotates, the disc cam 380 (FIG. 4) is rotated to actuate the tie rod 372and the associated linkage to swing the feed member 350 to position Y toimpale the peach on the fixed vertical blade 355. When the peach is thusimpaled, the disc cam 43 permits the roller 428 (FIG. 1) to moveupwardly and allows the spring 435 (FIG. 2) to swing the cups 360 and361 into gripping engagement with the peach. When the peach is firmlyengaged, the cylindrical cam 42 (FIG. 1) swings the lever 434 in adirection to cause the pusher unit 450 to slide the cup support members411 radially inwardly of the turret toremove the peach from the fixedblade 355 and impale it on the blades 105 and 106 that are held in openposition at feed station A of the turret.

After the peach has been impaled on the open blades 105 and 106, thedisc cam 43 (FIG. 1) forces the roller 428 downwardly, causing theactuator plate 425 to engage the rollers 417 and swing the transfer cups360 and 361 away from the peach. The cam 42 then swings lever 434 in adirection to move the transfer cups radially outwardly of the turret totheir initial position adjacent the fixed blade 355. The Ferguson drive38 then indexes the turret to move the blade assembly to station B.During this movement, the cam 92 at the lower end of the turret shaft 50permits the lever 90 to swing radially inwardly, allowing the springs140 (FIG. 2) to move the blades toward each other to cut into the peachand grip the pit.

As the blade assembly moves to station B, the gear 152 (FIG. 2)associated with the blade assembly rolls along the fixed bevel gear 150and effects a 90 rotation of the blade assembly about the longitudinalaxis of the pivot tube 99 (FIG. 1) to move the blades to a horizontalposition. The direction of rotation of the blade assembly is such thatthe blade 105, which is uppermost at station A, is trailing the blade106 at station B, as shown in FIG. 2. When the blades have come to restat station B, the face cam 40 (FIG. 1) lowers the twisting head 70 intogripping engagement with the peach half projecting upwardly from theblade assembly. The Ferguson drive then rotates the twisting head totwist the peach half free from the stationary pit. The twisting head isthen raised by cam 40, releasing the peach half which remains on theblades.

The turret is again indexed to move the blade assembly to station C.During the movement toward station C, the blade assembly is againrotated 90 about its longitudinal axis. This 90 rotation moves the blade106 (FIG. 2) upwardly and the blade 105 downwardly, causing the peachhalf to slide or tumble off the blades and be directed by the inclinedwall 75 onto conveyor 78.

When the turret is next indexed to station D, the blade assembly isagain rotated 90 about its axis to bring the remaining peach half intoposition below the twisting head 80. The cam 37 lowers the head intogripping engagement with the remaining peach half, and the Fergusondrive rotates the head 80 to free the peach half from the pit. When thepeach half is free from the pit, the head is moved upwardly causing itto release the peach half. Then, as the blade assembly is moved tostation E, it is again rotated causing the peach half to drop downwardlyonto conveyor 78.

When the blade assembly is rotated 90, as it is moved to station F, theblades and 106 are moved to open position by the associated push rod 98which is moved outwardly at this time by the cam 92. Accordingly, thepit is released and dropped onto the pit conveyor 82. If the pit clingsto one of the blades, it is cammed ofi the blade by the stationaryejector member 460. During the next indexing movement of the turret, theblade assembly is rotated to vertical position at feed station A and isready to receive another whole peach from feed member 350.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that the presentinvention provides a novel, eflicient mechanism for feeding fruit to afruit processing machine. The novel oscillating feed members, thespring-loaded drive arrangement for these members, and the fact thateach feed member momentarily comes to rest at the peachreceivingposition makes it possible for the operators to feed peaches rapidlywithout the hazard accompanying the feeding of peaches to apositive-drive, rapidly moving blade. Further, the novel transfer cupmechanism of the present invention, which is arranged to move the cupsand the fruit carried therein in a straight line path toward the fruitgripping blades, quickly and accurately impales each peach on the fruitgripping blades.

It will be understood that modification and variations of the embodimentof the invention disclosed herein may be made without departing from thescope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and isdesired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fruit preparation machine, a feed mechanism comprising a shaftmounted for oscillating movement, a support arm having an openingreceiving said shaft, a spring-loaded drive connection between saidshaft and said support arm, a fruit positioning member mounted on saidarm, and means for oscillating said shaft, said drive connection beingoperable to allow oscillation of said shaft when said support arm isrestrained against movement.

2. In a fruit preparation machine, an oscillatable shaft, a feed memberconnected to said shaft for movement therewith, means for actuating saidshaft to cause oscillation thereof, a fruit positioning member mountedon said feed member and arranged to be momentarily inactive at the endof each oscillating movement of the shaft, and means connecting saidfeed member to said shaft for permitting oscillation of said shaft whilesaid feed memher is restrained against movement.

3. In a fruit preparation machine, a feed mechanism comprising a shaftmounted for oscillating movement, a flange keyed to said shaft, meansdefining a detent in said flange, a support arm having a hub receivingsaid shaft, a spring-loaded ball carried by said hub and having aportion of its spherical surface extending into said detent, a fruitpositioning member carried on said support arm, and means foroscillating said shaft.

4. In a fruit preparation machine, a feed mechanism comprising a fixedblade, a pair of sequentially oscillating shafts on opposite sides ofsaid blade, a support arm keyed to each shaft, a fruit carrier on eachsupport arm, each fruit carrier being movable during oscillation of therespective support arm from a position spaced from said fixed blade to aposition closely adjacent said blade and in fruit transferring relationtherewith, and means for sequentially oscillating said shafts in timedrelation to move said fruit carriers alternatively to fruit-transferringposition adjacent said fixed blade.

5. In a fruit preparation machine, a pair of fruit gripping blades,positioning means arranged to hold and partially bisect a whole fruit ata point spaced from said blades, a pair of transfer cups movableinwardly from opposite sides of said positioning means to engage a wholefruit supported by said positioning means, and a mechanism for movingsaid cups to engage such whole fruit as aforesaid and for subsequentlybodily rectilinearly transferring the so engaged fruit from saidpositioning means in engagement with said gripping blades.

6. In a fruit preparation machine, a support structure, fruit grippingblade means below said structure, fruit positioning blades mounted inaligned spaced relation to said gripping blade means, a pair of transfercups pivotally mounted on said support structure for movement inwardlytoward said fruit positioning blades to engage a whole fruit on saidpositioning blades, an actuator linkage slidably mounted in said supportstructure, cam means for reciprocating said actuator linkage, meansmounting said transfer cups for movement from a position on oppositesides of said positioning blades to a position on opposite sides of saidfruit gripping blade means, and means operatively connecting said cupmounting means and said actuator linkage whereby reciprocation of saidlinkage causes movement of said transfer cups.

7. In a fruit preparation machinne, a support structure, fruit grippingblades mounted below said support structure, fruit positioning bladesmounted in aligned spaced relation to said gripping blades, a pair ofshafts mounted adjacent said positioning blades, a transfer cuppivotally and slidably mounted on each shaft, an actuating bar movableinto engagement with said cups for pivoting said cups from a positionspaced laterally from said positioning blades to a position adjacentsaid positioning blades to enage a fruit held by said positioningblades, an actuating linkage operatively connected to said cups andarranged to slide said cups along said shafts from a position onopposite sides of said positioning blades to a fruit transfer positionon opposite sides of said gripping blades, and cam means associated withsaid cup actuating linkage and said cup actuating bar for consecutivelypivoting said cups into engagement with a fruit on said positioninglades and then moving said cups to fruit transfer position on oppositesides of said gripping blades.

in a fruit preparation machine, a pair of coplanar fruit grippingblades, a pair of coplanar impaling members in alignment with saidcoplanar blades and arranged to hold a peach in fixed spaced relation tosaid grip ing blades, a pair of spaced parallel rods disposed above saidblades and above said impaling members and extending in a directionparallel to the plane of said blades, 21 pair of carrier members, eachmember having a pair of spaced hubs sliclably disposed on one of saidrods, a transfer cup secured to each carrier member, a pusher meanshaving an actuating member disposed on each rod between the spaced hubsthereon, and means for reciprocating said actuating members through apredetermined range of movement to cause said actuating members toengage and reciprocate said carrier members on said rods to move saidcups from a position on opposite sides of said impaling members to aposition on opposite sides of said gripping blades.

9. An apparatus for initially conditioning a fruit for preparationcomprising, means for partially bisecting and transferring such fruit ina predetermined orientation, an indexible mechanism having a pluralityof gripping blade means co-operable to receive such fruit from saidbisecting and transferring means, said bisecting and transferring meansand said indexible mechanism being operable in timed relation to allowtransferral of such fruit therefrom to each of said plurality ofgripping blade means, and selectively operable means on said bisectingand transferring means for interrupting operation thereof withoutaffecting operation of said indexible mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN A FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE, A FEED MECHANISM COMPRISING A SHAFTMOUNTED FOR OSCILLATING MOVEMENT, A SUPPORT ARM HAVING AN OPENINGRECEIVING SAID SHAFT, A SPRING-LOADED DRIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAIDSHAFT AND SAID SUPPORT ARM, A FRUIT POSITIONING MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAIDARM, AND MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAID SHAFT, SAID DRIVE CONNECTION BEINGOPERABLE TO ALLOW OSCILLATION OF SAID SHAFT WHEN SAID SUPPORT ARM ISRESTRAINED AGAINST MOVEMENT.